ABILENE – The ACU soccer team returns to the friendly confines of Elmer Gray Stadium in a big way Sunday afternoon with a dominant 4-0 win over UTEP. Three different players found the back of the net as the Wildcats (1-1) picked up their fifth straight win over the Miners (0-2). Sophomore
Chayse Thorn struck twice, and ACU led 3-0 at halftime before rolling the 4-0 win. It is the largest margin of victory all-time in a game against UTEP. ACU begins the 2022 season 1-0 at home.
The Goals
- 16' |
Macie Stephens sent a ball off a set piece into the box, and Thorn was there on the left side to grab it and sent it through on the right side of the goal. For the second straight game, ACU struck first.
- 25' | Thorn got a breakaway attempt this time, and used her speed to get down the field and score to make it 2-0.
- 30' | After a handball in the box on UTEP,
Natalie Jones stepped in and did what she does best to make it 3-0.
- 82' | The icing on the cake came on a breakaway goal for
Sami Brown, the first of her career.
The Numbers
- ACU has now won five a row against UTEP, and has not lost to the Miners since the 2015 season. The teams tied in 2016, and the 'Cats had won four in a row by a combined score of 6-1, and scored four times today. Sunday marked the first time in the series a game had been decided by more than one goal.
- Freshman
Lili Ross made her collegiate debut in net for ACU, and picked up a clean sheet with a pair of saves.
- ACU led 14-8 in shot attempts, including a 8-2 lead in shot attempts on goal.
- UTEP led 5-3 in corner kicks.
- Sunday was the first career multi-goal game for Thorn, who finished with a team-high four shot attempts. It was also the first multi-score game for an individual Wildcat since
Natalie Jones scored twice against SFA in November 2021.
- Jones' goal was the first of the season for the senior; she now moves into a tie for sixth place all-time in ACU history with now 18 career goals.
- Brown's goal was the first of her Wildcat career.
- Ross and
Ellen Joss played all 90 minutes for the 'Cats.
- Sunday marked the first time since last November's game against SFA where ACU scored three times in one half.
Up Next
- The Wildcats hit the road to Louisiana for two matches next weekend, beginning Friday, Aug. 26 at Louisiana Tech at 7 p.m. The weekend concludes with a match on Sunday, Aug. 28 at Grambling State, with kickoff slated for 1 p.m.
